Oceans
by Painted Angel Wings
Summary: The year is 1912. Two cousins Len & Kahoko Tsukimori, barely aware of each other's existence, are forced to travel together across the sea to America on the S.S Titanic. Indifference soon turns into love...as well as a battle for survival.  Len x Kahoko
1. Chapter 1

Oceans

Couple: HiharaxKaho

Rating: T

Time beginning: Saturday, August 19. 12:42 AM

**A:N: Hey, everyone! Its been forever since I've done ANYTHING. Update, start new stuff… literally EVERYTHING. [falls over I apologize for my laziness; I'm back in action!**

**I tried not to make this sound TOO much like the Titanic movie, though I was tempted to follow the movie storyline. I figured that wasn't very creative. So I made them family to make things complicated. Heee hee. :3**

**Enjoy the story!**

**Song playing: "Ourselves" by Ayumi Hamasaki**

* * *

The small car jerked to an unpleasant halt as the driver reached his destination.

"Here we are Mr. and Ms. Tsukimori!" the driver announced to his passengers as he unbuckled his seatbelt and stared up in awe at their destination. "She is quite the beauty, isn't she?"

16 year old Kahoko gazed up at the structure with her big, bright gold eyes.

It was truly magnificent. It stood up above everything else, ruling the port. It was the center of everything, and there was no way a simple common passerby could tear their eyes off it. Her steam tanks outstretched to the clear blue April sky, making the ship look even more sharp and precise.

Yes, the Titanic seemed to match her description as it did in the newspaper; her intimidating size and aura of grace could make it easy to believe that it was as unsinkable as rumored.

"I still don't see what the fuss is all about," Len, Kahoko's 20 year old cousin objected as he opened the door to let himself out of the car. "It just strikes me as an ordinary ship." With the end of his sentence, the natural scowl on his face seemed to deepen a bit. Along with the change of expression, he slammed the car door, causing the driver to yelp in surprise.

Kahoko also let herself out with a sigh. Well, it's obvious he begged to differ.

Even though they were cousins, they barely knew each other; literally COMPLETE strangers. She had never even heard of this Len until the reading of her dead father's will.

Though she loved her father, she barely knew him, for her parents got divorced when she was around three years old. Hence why she was surprised to hear that her father even left her SOMETHING in the will.

During the reading, her father left her money, his half blind pug Sammy…and the textile company he owned in America. Of course, everyone in the will reading room was surprised by this. A woman was hardly ever given any position of importance, or even a say in a decision, let alone a whole company to run.

However, he also left part of the company to Len, so that Kahoko could "seek the advice" of a male.

Now, they were on their way to make a new life in America, neither of them having any say at all.

_I wonder how much more my life can be altered by this… _Kahoko thought, lifting her large green hat to peek up at the massive ship.

She glanced at her cold cousin, who was watching the driver and some of the ship's crew carry their luggage aboard the ship.

_Or if Len and I will ever feel like we can get to know each other…_

A bark echoed from the car, as Samson soared from the backseat to the sidewalk, sniffing the trails of Kahoko's bright purple dress after he landed.

"Hello, Sammy!" She greeted him cheerfully, picking up the canine so that they were almost noise to noise. "Were you ready to leave that stuffy car?"

Samson cocked his head in response, tongue falling to the side.

Kahko smiled pleasantly and turned to her ever silent cousin.

"A-are you ready to board, Len?"

Len peered at her, and sighed again, which made Kaho even more nervous then she already was.

"I suppose we have no other choice, do we?"

Sammy started to squirm in Kaho's arms, and abruptly leapt, running away into the crowd. He tripped a couple times on his run, due to his lack of sight.

"Sammy!" Kahoko cried, panic suddenly washing over her, like a mother losing sight of her child. "Len! We have to find him before we board!"

Len raised his eyebrows and took out his pocket watch.

"We don't have time for that, the Titanic is about to leave in…"

He stopped in mid sentence when he finally realized Kaho had chased after the pug long ago, not even waiting for his reply.

"How irritating…" Len mumbled, running towards her direction, tying to ignore Titanic's steam tanks roaring commendably, signaling her soon departure.

* * *

Kahoko bitterly cursed her heels as she continued to chase after Sammy, following his supposed trail.

"SAMMMYYY! SAMMY, PLEASE COME BACK!"

Her yells seemed to stand out from other people's voices; probably because hers was the only feminine voice actually calling out, searching for something.

Her fiery head jerked in all kinds of directions, hoping to catch a shade of Sammy's ivory fur. When nothing of the sort was found, she felt the prick of tears painfully sting her eyes.

"Sammy…" She hung her head in hopelessness, hands covering her eyes. She hated crying in public more than anything in the world.

"Oh my, what's the matter, hun?"

Kaho looked up with curiosity, and her whole face brightened at the sigh before her.

There stood before her, was Sammy, panting, goofy grin across his distorted but oddly adorable face. What she didn't recognize, was the young woman who held the pup in her arms.

Even though she looked at least 18, she was also rather short. She was even shorter than Kaho, who was not very tall herself.

She had wide, almond shaped amber eyes, which seemed to burn with intensity. Her skin was the color of rust, which Kaho instantly envied, for she always thought of her own porcelain skin as rather dull.

The feature that really stood out to her however, was her hair. It was extremely long and straight, and the color of ivory. It looked odd with her dark skin, yet it seemed to work. Kaho almost couldn't believe it was natural. Her mouth was twisted with restrained impatient, probably from Kaho's staring.

Kaho couldn't decide if she was beautiful or not.

"Darling?" Her words were kind, but her tone cut through like a knife, the murder impatient, eager to slash the victim's skin.

"Ohhhh, ummmm…." Kaho attempted to compose herself. "I was just looking for my dog because he was lost and…"

"You mean this little fellah?" The woman cut her off, that same tone iced through her voice. "He ran into my suitcase, poor soul. He seems to be fine though. I assume he belongs to you?"

Kaho could have sworn she said that all in one breath; she never heard anyone talk that fast in her life.

"Yes… thank you. I truly am greatful!"

And she was, but this woman's very presence made her nervous. There was something about her that seemed deadly, like her hands could suddenly fly to her throat.

She knew it was irrational, so she decided to ignore her silly feelings and intuitions.

"May I ask you for your name, please?" Kaho asked politely, hands digging into Sammy's fur, who was once again trying to escape.

The woman, already held out her hand, way ahead of her.

"My name is Ree Jackson. And yours would be..."

"Kahoko Tsukimori, its nice to meet you." Kaho took her hand, and smiled, attempting to keep up with this impatient girl. She was not used to dealing with someone so fiery and impulsive.

"Pleasure is all mine," Ree replied, a smile appearing on her face. It was an unusual smile, like there was something devious hidden behind it. It curled to the sides like a cat… who was about to dine on its dinner.

"There you are. You are extremely troublesome, I already know that about you."

An exasperated voice broke the trance immediately, which immediately caught Kaho's attention.

Her cousin stood a few feet behind her, arms crossed, glaring at her.

"G-Gomen, Len…this woman, Ree, helped me find Sammy! Isn't that wonderful?" Kaho held up to the snorting Sammy, who gave up on his fight for freedom and doggie exploration.

Len simply nodded, and glanced at Ree, who seemed to be a in a dreamy trance.

"Thank you for your help, but we need to board the ship, if you don't mind."

It took a while for Ree to speak. But when she did, that same smile crossed over her features.

"Yes… I must board as well," she murmured. Her eyes lingered upon Len for a while, then she finally took her leave, ignoring Kaho completely.

Kaho just stared after her silhouette, completely miffed by her character.

_She seemed kind… but it also seemed… fake._

"How long are you going to keep staring?" Len broke her thoughtful musing. "The ship leaves in 5 minutes."

"5 MINTUES?!"

Without another word, she took off as fast her heels could carry her, Sammy barking with joy at the sudden burst of speed.

Len just walked back, shaking his head.

The steams on top of the vessel roared once again into the spring air once again, her last warning of departure.

Little did the cousins know, or anyone for that matter, that the following three days would be the most dramatic and life altering days anyone could ever experience.

* * *

A:N: WAHOOOOOO!

ITS DONE! I DID SOMETHING! OMGAH!

[dances!

Errmmm, yeah. That's it for Chapter 1 ! I hoped you like it so far! I just wanted to let you know what situation that they are in and all that good stuff… hmm, can you guess what Ree's role in the story will be? xD

Please leave a review! I love knowing what you guys think! I always reply to reviews. And I accept anonymous too!

Song playing: "Locking up the Sun" by Poets of the Fall

Time ending: Monday, August 27, 12:59 AM


	2. Chapter 2

Oceans

Couple: HinoxTsukimori

Rating: T

Time Starting: August 28, 2007, 7:13 PM

A:N: Hey again! Welcome back to the second installment of _Oceans_!

Ohh, before we begin, I want to apologize for the error I made in the first chapter; I accidentally put on the top that the couple was HIHARAxKaho, which is definitely not the case. If you didn't notice, great! Just for clarification, Hihara will not be in the fan fic. Well, he might if you really want him to, but it will be a small role. xD

I'll make this clear again…

THIS IS A TSUKIMORIxHINO FIC!

Even though they are cousins! That adds the whole twist, see? xD

Once again, I apologize for the misconception.

Enough! Enjoy!

ALSO! IT TOOK ME SO DAMN LONG TO UPDATE THIS!

I'm in theatre, and that has been consuming most of my time. And I'm failing US History right now, so that isn't good either….

Song Playing: "Goover" by High and Mighty Color

* * *

CHAPTER 2

"Room 73… room 73…." Kaho softly repeated the number as she searched for their room, Sammy tucked under one arm, grinning his signature smile, breathing heavily.

Len, inexplicably irritated, trudged behind her, casting glares at anyone who happened to stand in his way.

"Is it really that far away? We've been searching ever since we set foot into this vessel." The way Len stated this made it sound like they were in prison, being taken to America in chains.

Kaho sighed, trying once again to ignore her cousin's impatience and irritably.

"Not yet… please be patient for just a bit longer, Len."

"And don't call me Len. Even if we are family, we are still strangers."

That was true, but Kahoko shook her head.

"Even if that is correct, _LEN_ (he shot a glare at her) we are still family and I don't feel comfortable addressing you in that way," Kaho replied. She turned around to face him, a firm, but not unkind, look on her features.

It was silent for what seemed to be like hours, even Sammi's congested breathing seemed to cease.

Len was absolutely stunned by her statement of defiance… nobody…NOBODY talked to him that way, let alone a woman who barely knew him.

It surprised him, yet at the same time, it definitely impressed him.

Forget impressed, he was fucking intrigued.

Kaho finally broke the silence with a sigh, which made Len's heart jump.

"Lets start over, okay? Can we at least be nice to each other?" Kaho smiled kindly.

"Hmph…fine." Len turned away, embarrassed, which confused him; he really had no reason to be.

They continued once more in silence, but when Kaho shouted, "AHA!", Len practically jumped three feet into the air, suitcases flying everywhere.

Sammy barked in fright, which caused more passengers to stare at Len's uncharacteristic spazz out.

Whispers through the high class hallways bounced from left to right, while Len just stood at the ground, totally humiliated in front a bunch of strangers.

But something broke him out of his trance.

It was the sound of Kahoko's laughing; a pleasant, jubilant sound. It was loud, but not obnoxious. It was free and it seemed to echo into every room in the hallway.

Len pretended to not be interested and just sighed, pretending to be exasperated.

"What could possibly be funny?"

Kahoko, wiped a tear from her eye with her free hand, for she was still holding Sammi (who seemed to be laughing too; animals have an odd way of showing feelings, yet you know what they're thinking)

"I'm sorry! But I never expected you to be startled over something so silly!"

The words 'so silly' took a jab at Len's ego. What a fool he was! How could he have been so childish?! How could he…

"Len? Aren't you going to come in?" Kahoko once again broke his thoughts; she seemed to have a knack for doing that. It was cute, yet irritating at the same time.

"Of course," Len mumbled, not daring to look his cousin in the eye. Why did she make him fluster so?

His eyes scanned around the room.

It was quite lovely; the massive windows provided a wonderful view of the sea, and there was a window seat to relax right next to them. There was a fireplace that seemed to stand out, almost in a sort of obnoxious way, as if it wanted all the attention of the room. Picasso paintings were plastered on the mahogany walls, and the matching floors were covered with real, silk Indian rugs. It was an odd combination (especially with the Indian rugs) but it was still a nice touch.

And that was only the main room; there was plenty more to see in the main bedrooms surely.

Sammi trotted over to Len's side and licked his fine leather shoe, leaving an unattractive mark that shined in the afternoon sun that peeked through the windows.

Len repulsed in disgust.

"You mutt! These were my NEW shoes!"

Sammi just stared up at him blankly, tongue rolled to the side, smushed face hideous, yet adorable.

"Oh, Len, your such a wimp," Kahoko rolled her eyes with a smile, restraining to laugh once more at her cousin. "Sammi is just a dog, he only wants to play with you."

Kahoko then picked up the drooling pug, so that he and Len were facing each other nose to nose.

"Go on! Take him!" Kahoko placed him in Len's arms without waiting for an answer, like a new mother handing her baby to a dumbfounded husband.

Len just stared stupidly at Sammi, who was grinning, probably from Len's extended humiliation.

_What do I do with this…THING? It doesn't even look like a dog! It looks more like a mutant._

Len glanced at Kahoko desperately.

"May I PLEASE put him down now…?"

"Oh fine, your no fun," Kahoko pouted, taking Sammi and setting him down. "Shall we explore the ship together then?"

She smiled at him pleasantly and brightly, causing heat to run inexplicably to Len's face.

"A-Alright…"

Kahoko lead the way as Len walked in a daze.

_Why is my hear racing…? Is she the one who caused this? But how? What did she do? Was it with that mutant thing? Or was it when she smiled? Or…_

He watched her leading the way from behind, until she turned around to give him another enthusiastic smile.

_Or is it… she seems to be content on spending time with me? _

All his thoughts continued to race as they headed out into the main dock of the Titanic.

* * *

A:N: YAAAY! I DID IT! I FINISHED SOMETHING! WOOOT! –dances- Sorry again if this took so long! And this chapter was meant for them to bond a little bit… hehehe, I love writing about Sammi! xD

Kinda random, but Sammi is actually based on my own dog. He is a blind pug and sosososoooo cute! Lol

Anyway! Please read and review!

Song playing: Bulletproof by The Goo Goo Dolls

Time: 10:45 PM

Date: 11/19/07 x.x


	3. Chapter 3

Oceans

Couple: Tsukimori x Kahoko

Rating: T

Time Starting: November 21, 2007, 11:21 PM

A:N: Hello, hello! Time to start the third chapter of Oceans. I want to take the time to thank everyone who has reviewed this story, and has had the patience to deal with my laziness –sweat drop- But I'm just glad people out there are reading this and enjoying it! If you are one of those lazy people who don't review… maybe you can at least review once? –sweat-

MOVING ON! HERE IS THE NEXT CHAPTER!

Song Playing: "Umbrellas and Elephants" by Cinematic Sunrise

* * *

**LEN'S POV**

She rushed to the freshly painted railing, and gripped the edges, resisting the urge to climb on top of them and spread her arms wide, like a bird spreading her new wings.

But she knew that would be considered "unacceptable" by society; besides, she was so clumsy, she might have fallen to her death into the freezing cold ocean. Not to mention being squished by the Titanic….

"Its such a nice breeze today!" She breathed, titling her red head back, letting the salty air caress her cheeks and her hair tear through the wind. "I just feel so free like this!"

I just shrugged indifferently, although I suddenly became fascinated by her hair color. I don't know what started it. Maybe it was the way it shined in the afternoon sun, high in the crystalline sky.

It sparkled the finest rubies, and I just wanted to touch it; tame it, shield it away from the fierce wind that kept whipping it behind her. I started to move towards her to fix it.

That is, until I spontaneously felt something wet at the bottom of my pant leg.

"What the…"

It was my cousin's idiot mutant dog, doing its business right near me. And it was getting all over my pants.

BRILLIANT. Just brilliant.

"Get AWAY from me!" I hissed, giving the thing a slight kick, but not enough to wear it would hurt. I may dislike the thing, but I'm not a monster.

It whimpered slightly in response but left me alone.

"Whats wrong?" The commotion brought her back to reality, and now she was staring at me with those huge eyes.

"…You're thing was peeing on me. I had to do something." I hope she didn't notice that I kicked it…

She didn't, thank goodness; she just laughed that same entrancing laugh.

…Wait. Since when was her laugh entrancing? That was a little strange.

"Oh, Sammi! You're so silly! Why did you have to pee on Len's nice pants?" With that she scooped him up into her arms, and continued to laugh.

While she was playing with her thing, I had to sneak off to think some things through… and to clean my pants.

**KAHOKO'S POINT OF VIEW**

Honestly, Len was so unlucky! First, he's scared out of his wits just because of a loud noise, then Sammi pees on him!

Was he possibly born on Friday on the 13th?

"Excuse me, miss? But is something the matter?"

I turned around, and behind me was one of the most beautiful people I've ever seen in my life.

He had deep violet eyes, and light purple hair, which was so long, he could've been mistaken for a young lady. If he wasn't wearing a fine suit, I WOULD have thought he was a woman.

His expression was one of concern, like if I had gone insane. Which of course I hadn't. Geez, it seems like women can't even laugh or have fun without thinking they have lost their sanity.

Maybe I will one day if society doesn't stop being so suffocating and confining.

I desperately want to put these thoughts into actions, and tell him what I really think. But I know it's not right to take things out on him.

It's not his fault that the world is so messed up.

"Oh, its fine! Its just I'm just so happy to be here with my dog and my cousin, who's…"

But when I turned to gesture Len, he was gone, which made me feel a tinge of guilt. Maybe I was making fun of him too much.

"Oh…he's gone…"

But the man just smiled. He looked like he was a few years older than me.

"Oh my, that's a shame," he sympathized with a gentle smile. He was a bit strange… every move he made seemed to cause him to glitter, to shine. "Do you want me to help me look for him?"

I shook my head.

"No…he probably wants to be alone."

He looked confused.

"And why would that be?" He seemed genuinely concerned.

I sighed, putting Sammi down, letting him roam free for a while. This cause to trot off overjoyed. This was his opportunity to sniff around, maybe chew a few people's shoes.

"My cousin… doesn't deal with people very well. And I'm pretty sure he's not happy with the current situation we're in."

The handsome stranger nodded, asking no further questions, taking the information in.

"That's too bad. If I was in his position, I would love to get to know a lovely lady like you better," he mused, staring at the ocean's waves.

Those words caused my heart to stop, my breath stolen in mid air. I swear my mouth was open; I could taste every inch of salt at that moment.

He took my hand, and, to my shock, gently grazed his lips across my cold skin. They felt warm, but for some odd reason…rather snake like. It was as if he was a hungry predator and I was the prey. Delicious, terrified, ready to be eaten.

"My name is Yunoki Azuma…may I ask for your name?"

It took a full minute for me to speak.

"Tsukimori….Kahoko…"

"Then I shall see you around for certain…Kahoko-san," he replied, kissing my hand.

And with that, he was gone. When I turned around to breathe, I immediately couldn't again.

Len…he was watching the whole time. And for some reason… he dind't look happy.

**Len's POV**

What the hell was that? WHO THE HELL WAS THAT?

And why are her cheeks all rosy and flushed, like a grade school girl? And why were his lips upon her skin?

That whole situation caused me agitation, annoyance, all these unfamiliar emotions to come crashing into me like a storm. I couldn't take it, and I didn't even know the reason why.

None of us spoke until she came to me, a concerned look appearing deep in her eyes.

"Len…is something wrong? I-If its about me teasing you when Sammi…erm…did his business, I apologize."

No, that's not it. Far from it.

"Hmph, something like that doesn't bother me. Your opinion doesn't matter to me."

I regretted the words as soon as they were spoken. Her frame twitched; my words were a knife.

"I see…so I don't mean anything to you…I understand," she whispered, her head hung low.

At this point, the sun was starting to set; it was late afternoon. Have we really been out there this long? Time seemed not to matter when I was with her.

Yet, I was so angry suddenly. All these emotions I didn't understand started to conflict me, torture me. I was angry at that stupid man for even coming close to her.

And also…what was wrong with me?

This woman was my COUSIN… you aren't supposed to feel this way about family.

Dear God, I'm lusting after my cousin.

And the worst part was that I was taking all my anger and confusion out on her; I don't want to hurt her. Not her.

Her voice interrupted my thoughts, and she had been talking for a while. Yet I could hear her voice now when she mentioned… HIM.

"…and if I wasn't supposed to talk to Yunoki-san…I apologize for that as well…"

It was as if my soul snapped in half. I couldn't take it any longer, the emotions were boiling over to my lungs.

"GET OUT! JUST LEAVE ME BE! GO!"

I shouted the words so loud, many people stared, shocked and horrified. But none of their expressions could compare to her's.

Tears sprang into her eyes, and her lips quivered miserably, making her look lost and needy. Once again, I immediately regretted my words. My heart was melting just looking to her tear filled eyes.

"Kahoko…I dind't mean…No…please…."

I wasn't even making sense anymore…I wasn't even aware what I was doing at that point.

I just know my hands were reaching for her…to wipe her tears away, to take away the pain I caused.

But all she did was look away… sob…and run.

She ran away, away from me. It seemed to happen in slow motion; the way she turned away, the way her hair flew behind her, the way her hands were covering her eyes. Sammi trailed after her, wondering why his master was so upset.

After she ran, I slumped against a bench, hands imitating the way she covered her eyes. I couldn't believe what I had done.

The one person I wanted the most…treasured the most… I pushed her away. I hurt her.

And it all happened so quickly. My feelings for her…my anger…I'm so confused.

I want her to come back.

* * *

**A:N: Ahh! I can't believe I wrote this. T.T Poor Kahoko! **

**The next chapter will be happier, I promise[or I'll try to make it happier!**

**Anyway, PLEASE REVIEW!**

**They are what keep me going, guys!**

**I accept Annoymous reviews too!**

**Song playing: **

"**We're gonna have us a Champagne Jam" by Chiodos**


	4. Chapter 4

Oceans

Couple: Len x Kahoko

Time Starting: January 4th, 2008, 2:07 PM

A:N: Hey, guys! Its me! I would like to thank the people who graciously reviewed! If you are one of the lazy people who didn't review, thanks for at least reading. Yeah, I'm a little irritated about the whole not reviewing thing, but what can I do about it? I can't make you review. Its your choice. It just irritates the fuckin crap out of your authoress :D

Annnyway, rant aside, I present to you, the 4rth chapter of Oceans! Oh, one more thing! I changed my pen name back to my old one, just because I was sick of my previous one. (anyone who has read anything by me for a while, Painted Angel Wings was my pen name for two years)

FOR REAL, IM DOONE .

Disclaimer (I just realized that I never put one) :

No, I don't own La Corda nor will I ever. However, I do own Ree, my character, and Sammi. Quite literally :D

Song playing: The Curse of Curves by: Cute is What we Aim For

* * *

As Kahoko prepared for tonight's dinner in her room, Len silently sat on the couch of the living room in their cabin, completely listless. He was already prepared for tonight; his sleek and black tuxedo look strikingly handsome against his pale skin, bringing out the depth of his eyes.

But tonight, those eyes were dead, with no sign of life. But he had no concern of his own appearance; far from it. All he cared about at the moment was the state of his cousin, who was probably still shaken and hurt by his previous outburst.

As he scanned the room to pass the time, his eyes fell to Sammi who was sniffing and snorting around the couch. The pug abruptly looked up, staring back at Len with big brown eyes.

Len sighed and reached out to the pug, who flinched slightly at his unexpected movement. Unexpectedly, Len started to stroke Sammi lightly, chin resting in the palm of his hand.

"I wonder if she hates me now," Len murmured to Sammi, who continued to stare at his master's cousin, listening intently. "I didn't mean to hurt her in any way. But…I…did. And the damage is already done." He sighed once more, taking his hand away from Sammi's ivory fur.

Sammi whined empathetically and rested his head on Len's shoes, which caused a small chuckle to arise from Len's throat.

"Even if you are a mutant, you know how to listen. That's rare for any sort of creature, human or animal," Len said gazing down at Sammi with a slight smile. Sammi grinned back, tongue flopping to the side, apparently appreciating the compliment.

The doors leading into the bed quarters opened, interrupting the bonding moment between the two. Kahoko stood ajar in the doorway, her expression dead, neutral, and cold. Her fiery red hair was swept away to the base of her neck, which was kept back by a massive butterfly clip, diamonds fluttering on the edges of its wings.

Her dress was a deep shade of emerald, which looked wonderful against her ivory skin, and the silk material grazed the floor.

To Len, at that moment, she was the most striking human being alive.

As he opened his mouth to finally speak, Kahoko silently walked past him, ignoring his presence completely.

"We better hurry to dinner," She said softly, giving him a small smile as she opened the door. It was in that one smile that Len could see everything he did today; all the pain he put her through, all the confusion he caused. He couldn't take it anymore, it felt like his soul was going to burst if he dind't do something.

Len tried his best to follow through his urges to apologize, but he couldn't make any of his muscles move; all of his body felt paralyzed. All he wanted to do was just to touch her skin, which seemed incredibly soft. And Len was pretty sure she smelled wonderful…holding her would maybe nice too.

"Len…?"

Kahoko seemed concerned once again, but was trying unsuccessfully to hide it.

Len closed his eyes and leaned back against the couch, feeling the cool leather against his neck.

"Kahoko…I'm sorry," Len murmured, cracking an eyelid open to spot her reaction. "All those things I said out on the dock…I dind't mean ANY of them. Not one."

It was Kahoko's turn to be surprised. Her amber eyes widened a bit as she closed the door, placing herself next to Len. Her hands trembled slightly, as if she was fighting something within herself, possibly an urge.

"Len…I was the one who should be sorry," Kahoko replied gently, her eyes gleaming with honesty. "I have nothing but a burden in your life. If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have to be here…" she paused to chuckle. "And Sammi would have never peed on you so much…"

"Please stop. You are not a burden to me," Len sat up to look into Kahoko's eyes. "Far from it. Don't ever forget that."

Kahoko, pleasantly surprised by his pleasant response, just nodded.

Len looked away, staring blankly at a painting from Kahoko's art collection.

"I have…trouble… with people. Talking with them, relating to them… and controlling feelings. I'm just not a very social person, but I'm sure you could tell that already."

Len's last statement made Kahoko giggle.

"….I just want you to know…if I ever hurt you in the future…its not intentional. I never want to hurt you ever again. I may sound like I'm excuses, and I probably am. I just want you to know…that I will be more conscious about what I say to you."

For a moment, the room was completely silent, even Sammi seemed to stop his snorting and breathing.

Finally, Kahoko reached for Len's right hand and squeezed it gently. A real, happy smile finally was present on her face.

"Shall we go to dinner then?" She asked, her smile growing as Len tore his stare away from the painting.

Len, feeling redeemed at last, squeezed back, and led her out of the room with an equally happy smile. No more words were needed; Kahoko listened and forgave him, and Len never knew what it was like to be redeemed until that moment.

**. MEANWHILE AT DINNER .**

Ree tapped her fingers impatiently on top of the glass table, her intense amber eyes scanning the dining room for that certain person; it was so hard to tell if he was here through all of the sea of faces. It was starting to aggravate her. He was so self-absorbed, he probably wasn't even aware he was half an hour late for their "date".

She snorted and fished through her purse for a cigarette and her holder (a:n: Just in case anyone dind't know, when women smoked in the early 1900's, they used a fancy cigarette holder to hold it. It made it look really long. Sorry if no one knows what I'm talking about).

When she finally dug it out, Ree groaned in annoyance; she forgot to pull out her lighter. Just as she was about to go back into her purse to search yet again, a silky voice interrupted her.

"Looking for a light?" A lighter was held about three inches from her pretty face, causing her to jump in alarm.

"Azuma, are you even aware you're late?" Ree snapped, placing the cigarette at the corner of her mouth, her teeth bared. It was her signature seduction move and she knew NO man could resist it. Well, perhaps gay ones, but she preferred to not think about that.

"Mmm, possibly. I apologize, but its not my fault that I'm worshipped with every step I take," Azuma replied egotistically, lighting Ree's lonely cigarette. "I could barely make it through the hallways alive."

"I'm so sure," Ree replied sarcastically, taking a long drag and exhaling slowly. "Poor little thing."

Azuma laughed coldly as he sat himself down, ignoring the whispers and giggles of the teenage girls behind him.

"Why did you want to meet me anyway? It seems all you want to do tonight is patronize me."

Ree took another drag, leaning a little bit closer to Azuma.

"I saw you talking to a girl named Kahoko Tsukimori today on the deck. You seemed to be quite the charmer towards her. Its almost as if you were a perfect gentlemen."

Azuma laughed coldly once again.

"Oh, her. She's okay, but I only want to see how fast she could fall for me."

"Basically, you just want to fuck her."

"Mm, basically. She seems easy," Azuma chuckled darkly and leaned in as well. "You know me so well, Ree-san." The formality was obviously sarcastic, which caused Ree to giggle.

"Why do you want to know anyway? I didn't know you were into women, Ree. I don't mind, but as long as you send an artist to the bedroom if you ladies fuck, I certainly don't mind…"

Ree kicked him hard under the table, which actually inflicted some damage; Azuma grunted in pain.

"Shut up, baka. I'm only interested because I want her cousin," she explained, a coy smile spreading across her unusual, but amazing features. "ALL to myself. I can't stand the thought of them together."

Azuma raised an eyebrow, but smiled in amusement.

"I thought they were cousins. Wouldn't be that incest?"

Ree laughed rather loudly, causing people to stare in disapproval.

"Of course it would! But I noticed how he stared at her. He loves her, or is at least attracted to her. Its pitiful to watch, she's not even all that special."

Azuma shrugged indifferently.

"Besides," she giggled darkly. "We certainly have no right to talk do we?"

Azuma smirked, reaching his hand under the table, hand grazing the skin of Ree's petite leg.

"But we aren't blood related…STEP SISTER."

Ree smirked back at her step brother and partner in crime.

"So what do you want me to do about it? If they want to have an incestuous relationship and ruin themselves, they can knock themselves out."

Ree locked her eyes into Azuma's violet ones.

"Azuma, I want you to get rid of that girl. Break her, destroy her in any way possible. I don't any killing involved, just do anything you can to break that girl's spirit, heart, and soul."

The same coy smile that was on Ree's face, was now mirrored on Azuma's.

"Hmm, I'll see what I can do."

Suddenly, Azuma's eyes gleamed as he craned his neck towards the entrance.

"Ahh, speak of the devil. There are our targets…my, my, my, don't they look happy."

Ree snapped her head towards the entrance, jealously already wild in her eyes; they were fixated on the cousins, who were talking comfortably. Kahoko was giggling at something Len said, while Len watched warmly.

Azuma placed a hand under his chin, a sarcastic smile on his face.

"Aww, isn't that adorable, Ree? They look adorable together, don't you think?"

Ree's eye twitched in irritation and snapped. In her irritation she threw her entire used ashtray on Azuma's crisp white shirt, and harshly rubbed in the smelly ash with her petite hands.

"Careful now, Ree," Azuma pulled the angry Ree close to him by grabbing her thin arms and pulling her close to him. He pressed his lips on her ear and cooed, "You know how cute you are when your pissed."

Ree slapped him across the face and stormed from the dining hall, ignoring the whispers and horrified remarks from the other passengers; her behavior was unheard of.

Azuma chuckled, completely amused by her anger and actions.

"Whatever you want, step sister, whatever you want… its yours."

His eyes drifted to the table where the Tsukimori twins sat and locked them onto Kahoko who was listening to Len with shining eyes and a cheerful smile.

"And if you want me to break this girl body and girl… so be it."

He chuckled to himself as he massaged the spot where Ree slapped him.

"It'll be fun anyways… might as well go for it."

* * *

A:N: ALRIGHT EVERYONE! HERE IS THE FOURTH CHAPTER COMPLETED!!! YAY!Ahhh, I had no idea it would play out this way! This is why I love writing D Errrgh, I have to go back to school on Tuesday… NOT COOL. D:

Anyway, PLEASE leave a review, guys! My account accepts anonymous reviews! I hope you guys liked it!

Song playing: F8SCENE by: Medic Droid

Time done: January 7, 2008, 2:36 AM


	5. Chapter 5

**Oceans**

**Couple: Len x Kahoko**

**Time Starting: September 12th, 2010; 6:07 PM O.o**

**Oh myyyy goodness. Its definitely been a while, right? Oh only TWO YEARS! Man, I need to get my shit together! But yes, welcome back to the 5th installment of _Oceans! _I happened to be watching _La Corda D'Oro _and thought about this poor fan fiction that I left behind…[tear] Well, enough of my rambling! Heres the long awaited 5th chapter! Enjoy!**

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"I cannot understand why in the world this WILL NOT BUDGE!" Kahoko whined, rattling the defenseless door numerous times. Of course, this accomplished nothing. She was trying for the 3rd time to get the door open, which was apparently a difficult task.

"Tell me, is your intent to open the door or check your mail?" Len did not hesitate to use his most condescending tone toawrds his franctic cousin.

"What are you talking about, Len? That has nothing to do with anything…"

"The key you're using is your mailbox key. My statement was completely relevant for your information."

Kahoko let out an impatient sigh as she searched for the correct key, giving Len a slight glare. Len just rolled his eyes in reply and let out a "Hmph!" just as impatient. But there was no way he could stop the red flush from reaching his face as he did so.

Kahoko and Len, despite their petty bickering, made it back in one piece from their dinner. They actually had a nice time; pleasant conversation, a laugh here and there [mostly from Kahoko]. Len took precaution to not say anything insensitive, but not too much at the same time; he could really be himself in front of this strange cousin of his.

The clatter continued as Kahoko searched for the key in her purse; was it taking her this long to find a key?

"Hurry up," Len sighed trying his best to hide a yawn. "I would like to sleep in a bed tonight, wouldn't you agree?"

"You're sarcasm is not appreciated," Kaho retorted (finally) pulling out the correct key from the abyss. With the first try, the door opened.

"Imagine that…" Len muttered, but not quiet enough for Kaho to dismiss.

"Zip it…"

Waiting for them, plain as day, was Sammi, his usual expression present and his eyes had a slight glow of…amusement? He had obviously heard the whole conversation.

"Sammi!" Kaho immediately scooped the creature into her arms twirling him across the room, much to Len's immediate worry. He could just picture Kaho tripping and Sammi flying out of her arms, out the window. Rather ridiculous scenario, but VERY possible.

"Did you hear how mean, Len can be? Yes you did!" She shot a sneer to her cousin, who pretended to look annoyed. But it didn't fool Kaho; the same sneer was present in his eyes.

"Well, someone had to put you in your place."

"Oh please! I couldn't find the key and you act like this? I thought we had a nice time."

"We did. It would have been even better if you used the right key the first time."

Kaho just rolled her eyes and gave Len a small smile as she put Sammi down.

"Well, no one can be perfect all the time, Len." The look in her golden eyes was straightforward and honest; almost like a challenge or a statement. No, a statement. Take it or leave it.

"Of course not," Len replied, with a slight shrug. What else could one say to a statement so direct?

Satisfied with his answer lacking in sarcasm, Kahoko retreated to the bedrooms to get ready for bed.

Len sat down on the leather couch as he waited for the room, so he could get ready for bed himself. It had definitely been a long day; a little bit too long.

_But…it could have been a lot worse. _

Len's eyes moved to the closed door, mind drifting away in the boring silence; he had come to like the sound of his cousin's voice. It was kind, yet grounded. Like she wasn't going to float away anytime soon. She knew where to stand and when to speak. Len liked that.

"_Nobody can be perfect, huh?" That's true, but so many of us strive to be as close as they can to be in that state…including myself. So why does it seem that she seems so comfortable with herself? _

Len was a stranger to this sort of attitude; he didn't really understand it at all.

"Its all yours!" Kaho called out to her cousin cheerfully as she opened the door, emerging in a pale pink nightgown which gracefully grazed the floor as she moved. Len blushed slightly as he moved past her, without a word more. Kaho just shrugged; she was getting used to her mysterious, yet somehow, irresistible cousin.

* * *

"I can't believe the only beds in here were bunk beds…we aren't children." Len was grimacing about the fact that the two cousins were stuck in the same room…in bunk beds. He took the bottom one while Kaho took the top.

Although she begged for the top, it wasn't Kaho's begging that immediately convinced him; Len was horribly afraid of heights. But there was no way in hell he was going to let anyone know about his weakness.

"Aww, I think its neat. Its important to remember what its like to feel like a child sometimes," Kaho countered, snuggling deep within her blankets. "Its like a comfort in a way."

Len rolled over on his side with a slight snort.

"Always the idealist, I see. I'm filing a complaint tomorrow regardless."

It took every bit of self control in Kaho not to laugh.

_He's such a baby! Its just a bunk bed. We're going to be in America in a few days anyway, the least he can do is suck it up like an adult. _

There was a silence for a moment or two, but it was broken by Kaho.

"I can't sleep."

"Fool, its only been 10 minutes since we've turned off the lights," Len sighed. "Of course you aren't asleep yet."

"But I usually fall asleep so quickly," she protested. "I think its because I'm not in my own bed." There was a hint of sadness in her voice as she finished her sentence, which caused pity to stir slightly within Len.

"Are you okay?"

The question caught Kaho COMPLETELY off guard in so many ways; she couldn't even speak she was so stunned. But she didn't need to say anything; Len's voice broke out in the dark once more.

"It must be hard for you…you've never been out on your own before, am I right?"

Kaho rolled over from her right side to her back, eyes gazing upon the ceiling, although there really wasn't anything to look at really. Just a blank, empty, metal ceiling.

"Yes…and no. My dad of course left the family when I was really young. My mother could never really handle the fact that he was gone. So she would go out every night, looking for any sort of man to fill up that void he left her with. So I was alone most of the time growing up."

Len listened intently; she had it harder then he thought.

"Do you have any siblings?"

"No. We had a lot of animals though," Kaho smiled a bit, fondly recalling the creatures of her childhood. "Three parrots and two dogs…it got noisy at times because they didn't all get along."

Len chuckled, amused at the thought of little Kaho trying to keep the peace between disagreeing pets.

"Is that why you get along so well with Sammi?"

"Most likely. I've always loved animals. Animals are the greatest listeners, and their actions are always pure hearted. They want what's best for those who take care of them." She paused for a bit to let out a heavy sigh; this was obviously a subject she didn't talk about much.

"I just couldn't understand why he left me with nothing and gave it all back once he died. I mean, he's the reason why I'm moving back to America in the first place. I inherit his company, even though we haven't spoken in 10 years? Is that even logical? Doesn't he understand what he did to our family when he went away?" Kaho's voice cracked slightly, much to Len's dismay.

"I just wish…I could have been perfect. Then he never would have left. That's what I rationalized when he left anyway. But I never will be perfect, so he will never come back. That's what hurt the most."

Kaho's voice cracked even more so then before; she was trying so hard not to fall apart.

"Stop it. Stop talking about such painful things."

Len's voice cut through like a knife this time.

"Talking about this obviously hurts you. And you're father was good for nothing if he didn't realize what he had. But I didn't know him, so I can't say much. All that I know is that what happened was definitely not your fault. It never was, and it never will be."

He paused to make sure she was listening. When Len heard nothing but the sound of her breathing, he continued on.

"Being perfect is boring, Kahoko. Imperfection is one of the most beautiful things that this world has to offer. But the thing is, so many people are ashamed to embrace that."

He reached out and gently touched the edge of Kaho's right hand, which was hanging off the side of the bed. To his surprise, she wasn't startled at all by his touch.

"Be who you are. It is the one of the best things you can do."

And with that, he gently caressed Kaho's hand a little bit longer, but as his fatigue grew, his grip began to loosen. With that, came sleep and Kaho heard nothing more from her distant cousin.

_Tonight…Len has learned a lot from me, but I don't believe he's aware just how much I've learned about him. He's cold and distant…but there's a warmth to him. it's a little bit hard to reach but its there. _

She took her right hand and placed it upon her chest, keeping Len's warmth close to her as possible.

_I can't wait to learn more about him… maybe he's not at all what he seems. _

Kaho leaned at the right edge of the bed and caught a glimpse of her fatigued roommate, dozed off into a peaceful sleep. She smiled softly to herself at the sight; even the most distant of souls have their vulnerable moments.

"Arigatou, Len. Sleep well tonight."

* * *

**Horray! Its done! Man, reading through these past chapters I realized I made Len just a teensy bit OOC. Oops! Maybe its just a personal thing I noticed. No matter, working on that...**

**Please review! But more importantly, I hope you enjoyed the chapter! See yall next time!**

**Time Completed: September 12th, 2010; 10:00 PM**


	6. Chapter 6

**Oceans**

**Couple : Len x Kahoko**

**Time Starting: November 19th, 2010 12:35 PM**

**Welcome back, you guys! Wasn't that moment lovely last chapter? Well, sorry for my late arrival once again **

**(nothing new there…haha) **

**but here's Chapter 6!**

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The sudden stream of light barely touched her eyelids, but it had already disturbed Ree's ability to sleep, causing her to stir in irritation. Stupid Azuma; he forgot to close the curtains. She opened her eyes slowly, and indeed, there was a soft golden light that was beginning to fill the bedroom. It was gentle, like a stream or a trickle.

Outside of the window the view was lovely; the ocean expanded for miles, canvas to the rising sun. Brilliant colors of marigold, pink, and orange mimicked the sky. The beauty however did not alter Ree's annoyanc. Why was the sky so pretty if everyone was too busy sleeping to see it? Sane people anyway…

Before she got up to close those blasted curtains, her eyes then focused to the sleeping figure to her left.

There before her was Azuma, sleeping sounding, his head underneath his right arm so that his hand would be inches away from Ren's face. Strands of his amethyst were caught within his long eyelashes, as if he planned it.

Ree couldn't help but form a tiny smile as she studied the sight. Even if he was an egotistical asshole that had hair to be envied, he was actually much more charming in his sleep when awake. Perhaps it was because he could say nothing. This thought forced Ree to bite her lips to keep from laughing. Wouldn't want to wake the sleeping giant.

Getting bored with watching him sleep, Ree rose to finally close those wretched curtains but stopped with a cold, possessive grip upon her forearm. Yet the somehow, the touch was gentle.

"And where do you think you're going?" Azuma's voice was groggy and mumbling, it was obvious he was still half asleep.

Ree just rolled her eyes, trying hard to dismiss her rapid heartbeat. He could have at least given her a warning that he was awake not be a creep and suddenly grab her arm!

"You left the curtains open, asshole. I was going to close them so the sun won't interrupt my sleep pattern!"

Azuma chuckled; Ree has never been a morning person.

"But my dear sister, that could have been prevented if we didn't…have fun per say."

Ree had no retort right there. Indeed, they had "fun", as Azuma put it, last night. Sleeping with your stepbrother however, wasn't something that was easy to say aloud, even to the accomplice in the act.

"Aw, do I sense remorse?" Azuma inquired as Ree remained silent, dripping with sarcastic offense.

Ree tried to wiggle out of his grip, which only made him more persistent in keeping her planted to the bed.

"Well, its not exactly smiled upon for us to be sleeping together is it?"

"Naturally, but the good news is that we are the only ones who know about it. So whats the fuss?"

Ree narrowed her piercing amber eyes into tiny stilts. She really did like him better when he was asleep.

"Because I don't feel anything for you. You're nothing but a tool for me, a chess piece moving across the board to get what I want. And yet, we continue this…this foolishness." Her voice cracked at the last part of her sentence as she turned away.

Azuma for a moment loosened his grip. But his eyes never left Ree's face. His expression was rather hard to read; it seemed to be a cross of hurt , but more evidently, disbelief.

"Ree, look at me. REE, look at me." His voice gave a commanding tone when she failed to oblige. With an exasperated sigh, Ree faced dropped all sarcasm, all pretense. His expression was once again hard to translate; Ree couldn't tell whether he was in pain or just sad. She had never seen such a complex emotion written across his face.

"Continue to lie to yourself all you want, but I cannot anymore. You know that I am in love with you. And I am sure you feel the same way about me."

Ree's expression went from annoyance to disgust in a second.

"Azuma, that is a preposterous thing to say," Ree hissed. "You are completely delusional if you think I feel such things."

Azuma chuckled lightly as he reached out towards her and began to caress her face. Ree's scowl softened a bit, but it did not relent.

"You're refusal to push my touch away is proof that I am right." Azuma stroked her dark skin, memorizing the softness and rhythm in which his thumb moved across her face. "Poor Ree, you've always been a terrible liar."

Ree opened her mouth to retort put Azuma pulled her towards him to silence her, which was rather easy to do since she was so light.

They are now nose to nose ; Ree was fighting to keep the scowl intact on her face.

"Why must you always have the last word? Why can't you just admit that I've won? You love me, Ree. Its pathetic you haven't said it by now."

Ree's eyes were burning with hatred by this time.

"Azuma…you know that it will never work. Though not related by blood, we are STILL related. It would be scandal…we would lose EVERYTHING. Our money, mum and dad would disown us…"

"…And inevitably, we would be destroyed. Yes, yes so I've figured." Azuma cut her off.

Ree started to relax a little, getting too tired to be irritated at her stepbrother any longer. If she spent all her time being annoyed with him, a lot of energy would be wasted. Azuma was just pompous and arrogant by nature. It was like trying to steer your boat over the tidal wave.

"But the thing is, Ree, all of those things aren't really an urgent concern to me," Azuma pressed his lips against her ear and whispered lightly. "Because no one will ever know about us."

Ree definitely had a soft spot in her heart for him. Though she would never dare say it. But no matter how she felt about him, it didn't change the facts: Being with Azuma was an impossibility.

She needed an escape, another option. And that Len Tsukimori was the perfect target. Good looking, obviously has money. But Ree's favorite part was this: He seemed to be everything that Azuma wasn't.

He never seemed to talk much, perhaps this was because he was a bit of pushover. To be honest, Ree wasn't sure. But she was desperate to find out at least a little bit of information.

But to get to her target, one thing stood in the way. That annoying waste of a girl, that redheaded cousin named Kahoko. Ree always got she wanted; she didn't see why this case would be any different.

"Azuma…I need your help."

Azuma scoffed at her request, twisting her hands into her long silvery hair.

"MY help? I would think I would be the last person on Earth you…"

"SHUT UP. You are so annoying," Ree snarled, cutting him off. "I'll make you a deal, but listen closely."

Azuma smiled, like a snake leering at the most delicious prey.

"Fire away, my sweet."

Ree looked into Azuma's eyes, making sure he would listen carefully.

"Remember what we talked about last night? About the Tsukimoris?"

Azuma chuckled softly, amused as the memory of the previous conversation interrupting. " Ah indeed, I do."

"I still need that girl out of the way. If we are to keep this up…I need to make Len Tsukimori come into the palm of my hand." She straightened up, a coy and proud smile appearing on her face. "I will make him my husband."

This did not sit well with Azuma ; honest disapproval replaced his usual smirk.

"Then how in the world are we still to be together?"

It took every bit of self control within Ree to not cry out in frustration and smack Azuma across the face.

"Idiot, it would be for US," Ree instantly changed her tone, realizing that harshness may not work to convince him this case. "I mean, if I were married it would be less suspicious for us, right?"

This appeased her stepbrother, his smirk returning as he let the idea sink into his mind. The more he thought about the positivities of Ree's plan, the more he delighted in it.

"Sounds perfect, my dear…and I get to have a little fun on the side, right?"

Ree sneered at the thought of Kaho's fate ; when it came to innocent girls, Azuma was indeed the cruelest man she knew.

"I wouldn't propose this idea without some sort of benefit to you…BROTHER."

And with that last word, Ree took his face with both hands and kissed him with great force which Azuma returned with delight, sealing the plan to destroy the Tsukimoris.

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**Ahhh I finally finished it! I really enjoyed writing all of that, though it definitely took a while! I hope y'all enjoyed it! Don't forget to review! Annoymous reviews are welcome!**


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